


Happiness is a Pile of Leaves

by har1ey_quinn



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek is a Softie, Fluff, Future Fic, Stiles Likes Derek, Wolf!Derek, also, and a wolf, and feelings, autumn feels cuz its a great season, feeling might be mutual, he's an overgrown puppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-12
Updated: 2014-10-12
Packaged: 2018-02-20 22:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2446205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/har1ey_quinn/pseuds/har1ey_quinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’s about to continue heading towards the house when a black blur makes him stop. He has about five seconds of panicking when he realizes that the blur actually looks like a dog, a dog that seems rather excited as it runs around in circles before jumping into scattered piles of leaves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness is a Pile of Leaves

Stiles is only doing this because he’s interested in the mechanics and biology of it. There are absolutely no ulterior motives as to why he’s visiting the renovated Hale house in the middle of a perfect autumn day when his friends are all enjoying the peacefulness that has befallen Beacon Hills after a particularly disastrous summer.

It’s just. He hasn’t been able to get it off his mind. He’s only heard of it, recounts from others but the person in question. And yeah, ok, he has seen Malia as a coyote but it’s not the same as a _wolf_.

After learning that Talia Hale could transform to an actual four-legged wolf (and not the creepy monster thing Peter turned into), he kinda wanted to see that played out. And now that apparently Derek _evolved_ (and really? What is he- a Pokémon?), well, Stiles wants to see what kind of ferocious canine Derek has become.

So yeah. It’s simple curiosity. There are no underlying feelings. None.

And since no one is in the jeep with him, they can’t say he’s lying. (And he isn’t, ok? Not really, anyway.)

The ride starts to get bumpier the further he drives into the woods, leaves and fallen branches crackling under the weight of the car.

He stops a good distance from the house, deciding to walk and enjoy the surroundings.

There’s something about autumn that is just so peaceful to Stiles, it has the perfect weather of not too cold, not too hot with a light breeze that makes the fallen leaves dance on the streets and the _colors_ \- red, orange, yellow and everything in between that should only be synonymous to the East Coast but that NorCal has managed to copy, and it definitely helps that Beacon Hills is surrounded by forests.

He’s feeling hopeful about this season. After everything that’s happened during the past years, things seem to have calmed down and he’d really like to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte without having to research how to get rid of the latest supernatural threat.

He shoves his hands into his pockets and continues making his way to the slightly smaller Hale house 2G, feeling a sense of satisfaction when the leaves crunch under his sneakers. There’s the occasional bird chirping in the trees, and a rustle as woodland creatures scurry about.

And speaking of woodland creatures, he’d really like to know if Derek has suddenly developed a penchant for innocent bunnies and squirrels now that he can actually turn into a furry predator. He really hopes not, but he fears for Bambi and Thumper’s lives now.

Stiles looks up from his mindful steps through the irregular forest floor once the house comes into view. It’s pretty, not as grand as its predecessor, but Derek put time and effort during the summer to build it, and he did a rather good job, the pack actually wants to be there now.

He’s about to continue heading towards the house when a black blur makes him stop. He has about five seconds of panicking when he realizes that the blur actually looks like a dog, a dog that seems rather excited as it runs around in circles before jumping into scattered piles of leaves. It jumps from pile to pile, waiting for the leaves to settle before jumping again, running with its belly almost touching the ground as it rounds the piles and then burrowing under the leaves only to come out jumping from the other side.

It is absolutely adorable.

Stiles wants to get closer, knowing he’ll probably end up interrupting the canine’s fun but it seems almost criminal not to get a good look.

As expected, the black dog- _wolf_ , oh god- freezes mid-step, lifting its nose to smell the air, and Stiles suddenly has two piercing blue eyes staring straight at him. He’d be terrified but the wolf has leaves sticking to its fur and while Stiles’ rational side tells him that the wolf has teeth that can crush bone, the wolf also has a mildly horrified look on his face at being caught acting like a puppy and not the majestic creature that he is.

For what seems like an eternity, neither of them move. But Stiles has never been good with silences, even when facing an animal, so he’s the one to speak up first. “Uh- hi, Derek? What’s up?”

Alright, so maybe he shouldn’t have spoken up first. Not that Derek can speak as a wolf. Or can he?

“Hey, can you like, speak when you’re a wolf? And not speak as in bark, but speak as in… talk.”

The look alone is enough of an answer, and it clears up whether it was Derek or a stray wolf. No wolf can have that much contempt as Derek.

“Roger that. Um.” Stiles really has no clue what to say to a wolf, even when said wolf is Derek. “Just so you know, you have leaves everywhere.”

Derek tenses up again. Right, he’s a majestic beast.

“And there’s nothing wrong with jumping on leaves, it is pretty fun. I mean, I haven’t done that since I was a child but I can see why you’d enjoy doing-” Stiles’ world suddenly shifts as something crashes into his chest, making him fall onto a what-do-you-know, a pile of leaves. His heart goes on overdrive though, because he has a man-eating creature on top of him, holding him down and he has nowhere and no way to run and hide. “Oh my god, please don’t bite me. I won’t tell anyone about this. Like, leaves? Jumping? What’s that?”

Derek growls lowly, a menacing sound that Stiles can feel on his stomach and he’s trying very hard not to breathe as Derek leans down, his nose skimming the side of Stiles’ face.

He must find something appealing, or maybe Stiles is just comfortable, because he suddenly slumps down, his whole weight on Stiles as he crosses his front legs on top of Stiles’ chest, wet nose snuffling at his chin.

“Um.”

Stiles is scared of making any sudden movements because he fears for his life but Derek is very heavy as a wolf and he’s not exactly comfortable having fangs so close to his throat.

He shifts a bit and freezes.

Derek huffs, and it sounds so much like his human part that Stiles can’t help but laugh. “Such a sourwolf.” And he doesn’t mean to make it sound so fond, but that’s how it comes out and he knows Derek heard it because he tenses up again, blue eyes staring at him.

He’s suddenly afraid that Derek will up and leave (like he usually does when there are feelings involved), and that those underlying feelings that shouldn’t exist aren’t reciprocated, but Derek just huffs at him again, before laying his head down on his legs and closing his eyes.

Stiles lets out a breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding in, and tentatively raises a hand to just below Derek’s ear. He stills when Derek grumbles slightly, but gives in when Derek burrows into his hand. The fur is soft to the touch, thick and not at all brittle, even with little pieces of leaves and dirt sticking to it. He likes how it feels, and added to the comfort of Derek’s solid weight and inhuman warmth radiating from him, it makes Stiles feel safe.

He’ll totally mock Derek for acting like an overgrown puppy though, and he’s rather excited at the prospect of making Derek blush and growl in embarrassment, can already imagine the faces and looks. They’ll definitely have to talk anyway, soon hopefully, maybe over a cup of pumpkin spice, but Stiles is happy just lying on a pile on leaves, the sounds and smells of nature engulfing them. He really is feeling hopeful about this season.

**Author's Note:**

> So like I really imagine wolf!Derek having the time of his life jumping into piles of leaves and Stiles catching him in the act ( ~~and if anyone can draw that, that's be great~~ ) and anyway, I get that this really didn't have much of a plot beside praising autumn. Also, the title is from Peanuts. 
> 
> Anyway, sorry I haven't posted things, I recently started school again and let me tell you, it's been an absolute pain. Especially my physics class. I hate physics. 
> 
> If you'd like to say hi or see posts that have no theme, then my tumblr is   
> [here](http://psycho-delyc.tumblr.com/) :)


End file.
